I don't understand why so many people want to implement human parts/looks into their creature-concepts...do it, but it's boring in my eyes...

It makes it more relatable, and creates a greater emotional impact. I agree with the rule, but I've found that with my stuff, people just don't get as worked up over something that they don't see a little bit of themselves in.

The best example that I can think of is the Alien creature design by H.R. Gieger. It was *alien* and nightmarish, but what made it so freaking scary was the fact that we could see little bits of ourselves in it - the way it moved, aspects of the mouth, and it's humanoid build.

You could also make the same argument for the Predator, or any of the aliens in Star Wars or Star Trek.

Personally, I'm for making something as alien or otherworldly as possible, but I've found that often you have to include something relatable in order to really get across the strangeness.

here's mine I drew it pretty fast, I guess, but that's only to blame the very inspiring idea by fozzyguy (thumbs up!). I didn't even want to sit and think too much about my creature idea so I just went ahead and started and it worked itself up from there.
It was really fun doing this, I even used colored pencils which I haven't used in a very long time and drawing an animal\creature is not something I usually do.
so it was fun and I hope to participate in next cows to come : )

the blind dream eater -
he can smell them, he can hear them, but he can't see them, so he tastes them and eats them, to feed his hungry mind.

Carnifex/Oregano
Oh, i totally misunderstood the question...sorry. You're right about your question/suggestions, especially regarding this topic...human body parts would fit to the nitemare-creature...

croovman
The topic is not my idea...there is a topic-ideas thread and i am picking the topics for C.O.W. from there...
I don't want to be harsh or anything (as always *sigh*)...but please could you work on your entry a little more? The line-art is nice, but the coloring looks very rushed...you have still 7 days to go...

Groodetan

After all the wickas( witches) were in danger of being hunted by the church, one of them especialized on bringing fear to people in their dreams, by creating something himself called " Terror haemonculus", this minions were shaped according to the fears of the people they hunted in their dreams, but this fear was becoming the reason of his possible downfall...

People were transforming that fear into action, they wanted the terror to stop and they prove they would destry anything suspicious because of that fear, and the wicka didnt had more control over them, so he created something compleatly different, something that would destroy any will for anything, by consuming the townfolk´s wishes and ambitions...

But the wicka was afraid that a beast like that may hunt him in his own drams, so he turned himself into that beast....So while the beast only will is to consume all the dreams of his surroundings, it would remain invincible to any attack ( because it only exist in the dream world)...while the wicka remains the body as his own desfigured head..sleeping.

the tapir is known for its ability to eat nightmares in Japan, where it is called "Baku" funny, I thought it was a new idea... :

another source :

Baku, Eater of Dreams
Japan

In Japan, among superstitious people, evil dreams are believed to be the result of evil spirits, and the supernatural creature called Baku is known as Eater of Dreams.

The Baku, like so many mythological beings, is a curious mingling of various animals. It has the face of a lion, the body of a horse, the tail of a cow, the forelock of a rhinoceros, and the feet of a tiger.

Several evil dreams are mentioned in an old Japanese book, such as two snakes twined together, a fox with the voice of a man, blood-stained garments, a talking rice-pot, and so on.

When a Japanese peasant awakens from an evil nightmare, he cries: "Devour, O Baku! devour my evil dream." At one time pictures of the Baku were hung up in Japanese houses and its name written upon pillows. It was believed that if the Baku could be induced to eat a horrible dream, the creature had the power to change it into good fortune

I think is a good idea to make some WIP´s posts in here, so we dont ge any "already seen stuff" in here...

Don't go overboard with the wips, people...we have 20-30 members participating each C.O.W....this thread would be a mess with 2-3 wips of every participant...open a new thread in the sketches or help section to get copious help...

Hey Shamagim, et al.
If you have a WIP, then create a sketch book thread, post WIPs there and then post your comment in the current COW with a link to your sketch book to have interested peeps to go there, review and comment. It keeps the current COW down to just the final work and comments but still keeps you gettin' the crits you deserve. I do this with mine, er...I have done this with mine, and it really helps.
Just my humble 2 cents. Now I'm poor. Does anyone have any spare change?
Peace,
d

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "i" in meat pie. Meat is the anagram of team...~Shaun "Shaun of the Dead"http://www.cognitionstudio.com

I'm not pretending to be on the same level as you guys are but I really like these activities and wanted to join in on the fun. So here is my entry:

The Trance vassal
The true servants of Nightmares. These creatures always stay close, but undetected, to human settlements. When the humans are sleeping they turn their attention to what's going on inside their victims mind. If a Trance vassel succesfully 'connects' to a dream it will start to clear all activity within that dream until the dreamer is left in a trance-like state from which they cannot awaken. Then, the vassel creates a special dream which induces sleepwalking. The poor victims will always walk straight towards the vassals hidingplace. Not satisfied with devouring their victims dreams, the vassals consume the hapless human.

The Alucinorbestia wander in the dreamscape between consciousness and unconsciousness. Their long legs help them wade through the milky dream lake that lies deep within the combined minds of all people. Their long tongues dragging deep within that lake, absorbing the dark dreams that lie below the surface of the lake. Feeding off nightmares, the Alucinorbestia have taken grotesque appearances that do not represent their true benevolent nature.

Eater of Dreams

The Eater of Dreams dwells in the Nether-world between our conscious and uncounscious minds, manifesting in the twilight hours before dawn to steal our dreams away. Once collected the dreams' energies are consumed by the Eater, who leaves their twisted, corrupted shells scattered like brittle leaves in the barren landscape of the Nether.

Lolloping across the nighttime landscape like a drunk uncle at a wedding, the Gelderland Gjooba feasts on the nocturnal dreams and nightmares of the populace. Towering at 200 ft, yet with the brain of a midget fool, the Gjooba brays for sustenance. While all nighttime fancies are fodder to the Gjooba, he prefers dreams of hope and nightmares of despair. Completely hairless with vestigial knife and fork, the Gjooba is prone to melancholia and late mornings.

No time this week! If you wondered about my 5 minute work, well now you know. Sorry Fozzy, it doesn't have to go through!

The Donald: Devourer Of Nightmares And Lucid Dreams

A totally benign creature with no evil plot to take over your mental facilities - it just has a thirst to screw your mind, so to speak.
Extremely small and easily mistaken for noseeums buzzing around your head whilst you sleep, the Donald lands to feed once it sees you enter into a state of REM. The Donald…smart cookie that it is, realizes that REM is prime time to suck up those mindscape morsels. The Donald can be beneficial to you by erasing nightmares as they occur whilst feeding or it can be a total bitch when you try to remember that awesome dream when you wake up but it's 'poof'…gone…into the Donald!

Cheers!
Dave

Last edited by redehlert; April 22nd, 2005 at 05:32 PM.
Reason: Quick update - found some time.

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "i" in meat pie. Meat is the anagram of team...~Shaun "Shaun of the Dead"http://www.cognitionstudio.com

Well....don't go pullin' out any anatomy books to double check my work - just did it quick from memory.
Undertow and Prostate Sunrise forced me to see the light about incorporating more of my med illus work into my concept development. It's a fun springboard, I'll admit and both areas are starting to blend together nicely for me.
Cheers and thanks!
D

There is no "I" in team, but there is an "I" in pie. And there's an "i" in meat pie. Meat is the anagram of team...~Shaun "Shaun of the Dead"http://www.cognitionstudio.com

The Hannelore is a creature that is reoccurrent to young Timothy Higgins' dreams. Timmy knows nothing about this creature except that it's name is Hannelore and that it's appearance signals the dreams' end as it's mosquito-like mouth pierces dream-Timmy's frontal lobe.